Prospectus Hit List for April 30

Hit List for April 28
Hit List for May 1Hit List updates are published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, starting April 2, 2014. Data presented here is based on games through the day prior to publication.Teams are ordered based on Adjusted Hit List Factor, a computer generated number, and the author isn't responsible for the order of the teams.

14

8

13.8

12.2

11.6

.586

.567

29.9%

22.9%

52.9%

0.7%

5.1%

Jonny Venters has a 1.38 WHIP and a 0.00 ERA. Seventeen strikeouts in half as many innings can strand a lot of baserunners.

2

14

8

11.7

12.0

12.4

.570

.589

18.2%

38.8%

57.0%

0.0%

3.3%

The Rays' record in one run games is 4-1. Maybe not re-signing Johnny Damon wasn't the clubhouse death that it was portrayed to be, by Johnny Damon.

3

7

16

9.2

9.0

10.1

.383

.364

14.3%

7.0%

21.4%

0.2%

2.9%

Joke that will work for just about anyone: Hey! I bet you didn't know that [insert Padres player here] is outhitting Albert Pujols!

4

11

11

10.7

10.5

11.0

.491

.471

15.8%

29.4%

45.2%

-1.1%

2.8%

Jay Bruce is third in the National League in slugging percentage. Joey Votto is probably not jealous.

5

10

11

10.3

9.8

9.8

.476

.496

16.7%

36.9%

53.5%

-1.3%

2.1%

Carl Crawford is going to have a Platelet-rich plasma injection in which they spin his blood in a centrifuge, separate it, and then re-injected. If the procedure works, Crawford will reportedly look into having other parts of his body removed and spun through a centrifuge. This means: Crawford could be on the DL for a while.

6

10

12

10.5

9.8

10.5

.463

.443

37.2%

21.9%

59.2%

-1.1%

2.0%

Juan Pierre has graduated from first in the line-up to second. If there comes a point this year when Pierre bats third that would be a good time for Phillies fans to clean out the garage.

7

13

9

9.0

10.8

12.2

.512

.492

3.5%

5.7%

9.1%

0.0%

1.5%

Somehow, the Mets are 13-9 and have been outscored by 19 runs on the season. So they just know how to win? Check back in August to find out!

8

14

8

16.7

16.9

16.5

.728

.712

62.1%

22.8%

84.9%

0.4%

1.1%

Some might have scoffed at Yadier Molina's contract extension. But now that he's hitting .316/.369/.592 you hear less scoffing and more muttering, under-the-breath mumbling, and the occasional monocle trifling.

9

9

12

8.4

8.9

10.1

.433

.413

0.4%

2.0%

2.4%

0.1%

1.0%

Three runs for the Pirates counts as an offensive onslaught. Unfortunately the Braves offense erupted for a nuclear monkey tsunami of four runs.

10

16

6

12.9

13.7

14.1

.645

.626

10.2%

4.8%

15.0%

-0.2%

1.0%

Baseball-Reference bolds player statistics that lead the league. Matt Kemp's entire page is black. It's like staring at fresh asphalt.

11

11

11

11.4

13.5

13.3

.558

.578

16.9%

8.5%

25.3%

0.7%

0.7%

Gavin Floyd held the Red Sox without a hit through six-plus innings. Considering the Red Sox offense, that is probably more valuable than some no-hitters.

12

16

6

16.4

16.8

16.9

.751

.765

75.4%

17.3%

92.8%

-0.0%

0.4%

The Rangers lost their first series of the year and it had nothing to do with Mike Napoli hitting seventh while Elvis Andrus hit second. Still though.

13

11

9

9.9

10.6

9.3

.510

.530

27.0%

11.2%

38.1%

1.5%

0.3%

Derek Lowe has a 2.27 ERA in 31 2/3 innings, during which he has struck out eight and walked 10. I sense the power of the groundball is strong with him.

10

11

10.2

8.7

8.6

.446

.426

7.4%

3.6%

11.0%

-0.4%

0.1%

Last year a 40-year-old Jason Giambi turned the clock back by hitting .260/.355/.603. This year he's hitting .231/.450/.231. The clock is facing front again.

17

8

14

11.3

11.1

11.7

.479

.459

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

During the off-season the Astros traded reliever Mark Melancon for Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland. Weiland is on the disabled list, but Melancon was demoted to Triple-A. Lowrie is hitting .283/.377/.417 and playing shortstop everyday. Early Advantage: Houston.

18

6

15

7.0

8.1

8.4

.353

.371

1.5%

0.8%

2.3%

-0.4%

-0.1%

You have to like Mauer, Willingham, and Morneau in the middle of the Twins lineup. Unfortunately that's about all you have to like about the Twins.

19

6

15

8.5

9.4

9.1

.393

.412

0.3%

0.2%

0.4%

0.0%

-0.1%

The Royals used Yuniesky Betancourt as a pinch hitter Sunday. That's almost as bad as using him as a defensive replacement.

20

14

8

12.5

11.3

10.5

.549

.569

0.3%

1.9%

2.2%

-0.2%

-0.2%

One of these days, the Orioles won't be in first place and we can all safely make fun of them again. Today is not one of these days.

21

8

13

9.2

8.4

8.1

.401

.382

26.2%

22.8%

49.0%

-0.8%

-0.4%

In retaliation for his .205/.276/.321 start to the season, manager Ozzie Guillen has moved Jose Reyes out of the leadoff spot and all the way down to the second spot. That'll fix his wagon!

22

12

9

12.1

12.3

12.1

.578

.597

64.2%

24.4%

88.5%

0.5%

-0.4%

The Yankees actually could have been in last place, tied with Boston, if they had lost and Boston had won on Sunday. They won Sunday. Boston lost Sunday.

23

12

10

12.3

11.7

10.7

.531

.551

0.7%

3.7%

4.4%

0.3%

-0.5%

Jose Bautista is on pace for 22 home runs. Edwin Encarnacion is on pace for 52 home runs. You know, just as long as someone hits 50.

24

8

14

8.9

8.3

9.9

.398

.379

0.2%

0.9%

1.2%

0.0%

-0.7%

When you look at the NL Central standings, the Cubs don't look so bad. Just three games out of second! It's only when you read those pesky stats like "wins" and "losses" that things don't look so hot.

25

11

12

9.7

9.1

8.8

.419

.438

0.1%

0.9%

1.0%

0.0%

-0.8%

How broken is the A's offense? Yesterday Coco Crisp was the DH.

26

10

12

8.6

8.1

7.6

.389

.370

21.5%

32.8%

54.3%

0.5%

-1.3%

For a 10-12 team the Brewers have been streaky. They've won three in a row once, won two in a row twice, and lost four in a row twice.

27

11

11

10.0

7.8

7.7

.415

.434

54.4%

9.7%

64.1%

-0.8%

-2.0%

Sunday's home run was the fifth extra-base hit for Prince Fielder in 94 plate appearances this season.

28

7

15

9.2

8.2

7.4

.362

.380

24.3%

45.2%

69.5%

-0.5%

-2.9%

The Angels have lost five of six, Albert Pujols is hitting .216/.266/.295, and Space Mountain has been downgraded to Space Hill.

29

12

10

11.5

12.3

12.8

.552

.532

44.8%

9.5%

54.3%

0.9%

-5.2%

It's nice when you can give your catcher a day off by playing him at first base and not look like a moron for doing it.

30

14

8

13.1

13.7

13.1

.613

.593

3.1%

5.7%

8.8%

0.3%

-10.1%

Bryce Harper was robbed of an assist in his major-league debut when a sliding Jerry Hairston swiped the ball out of catcher Wilson Ramos' glove. Fortunately MLB adopted instant replay so the play was quickly overturned. Nope.

More depth about Yuni Pinch Hitting - he hits RH and was pinch hitting vs. a RH pitcher for starting 2BChris Getz. Ned Yost defended the strategy by pointing out that Yuni is hitting over .300 from the 7th inning on. Wow.